The present invention generally relates to a cylindrical container having an open end sealed by a removable and resealable lid. More specifically, the present invention relates to a plastic cylindrical container and lid assembly that form a generally liquid and vapor tight seal without the use of a resilient gasket.
Presently, many designs for plastic buckets or containers that include a removable and resealable lid exist for the storage of liquids, such as paint or other chemical compounds. Many of these container and lid assemblies are formed in a conventional five-gallon size, which has become an accepted and common container size for the storage and delivery of liquid materials, such as paint.
Since many of these plastic containers store liquids during transport and for extended durations prior to use or following use, it is important that the lid and container form a liquid and vapor tight seal to prevent leakage during shipment and to prevent or limit the contents of the container from being affected by the ambient atmosphere. In a very common prior lid and container assembly, a resilient gasket is positioned between the container lid and the container body. When the lid is attached to the body, the gasket is compressed to create a liquid and vapor seal between the container body and the lid.
Although the use of a resilient gasket between the container body and lid has proven to be an effective way to create both a vapor and liquid seal, the inclusion of the resilient gasket within the container assembly requires additional processing steps, thereby increasing the cost and complexity of creating the plastic container. Therefore, a need exists for a plastic container assembly that provides a liquid and vapor seal between the container main body and the lid without requiring a gasket. Further, a need exists for a plastic container assembly that can be molded and formed using conventional techniques.